Australia did attend the May 2023 AARO UAP Five Eyes Forum

Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick 

During his presentation to the NASA public meeting on 31 May 2023, former All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) Director, Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick, stated that he had recently held a forum on UAP for the Five Eyes partners. The Five Eyes partners are the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. A number of UAP researchers and journalists sought comment from these countries as to whether or not they attended the Five Eyes UAP Forum. In a blog dated 1 July 2023, I specifically sought evidence that a representative from the Australian government had attended.

Royal Australian Air Force

Australian researcher Grant Lavac posed a number of questions to Richard Marle M.P. Australian Minister for Defence; one of which was: 

"What was the extent of Australia's involvement in the Five Eyes Forum on UAP and who from Australia was represented?"

The response letter, dated 30 June 2023, came from B Sleeman, Acting Head of Air Force Capability. In part, it read:

"Air Force did not attend the Five Eyes Forum on UAP..."

Senator Whish-Wilson

In a July 2023 Australian Department of Defence response to question on notice number 91, of the Senate Estimates Committee, submitted on 20 June 2023, by Senator Whish-Wilson, inter alia was:

"Q: Did Australia attend the recent Five Eyes meeting held in May 2023? If so, did it attend the briefing on UAPs?"

A: Australia did not attend a United States briefing on UAPs."

However, later, Senator Whish-Wilson posed another question on notice at the 2023-2024 Supplementary Buget Estimates Committee, dated 2 November 2023.

"Did the Australian Department of Defence receive an invitation from the US All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) to attend the inaugural Five Eyes Forum on UAP in May 2023 led by AARO's Director Dr. Sean Kirkpatrick?"

The 15 December 2023 answer was "Yes. A Defence representative at the Australian Embassy in Washington attended."

Comments:

1. Which is correct? The July 2023 negative assertion or the November 2023 positive assertion?

2. If the latter, who from the Australian Embassy attended? What agency or government Department were they from? 

3. After the briefing who did this individual inform about the contents of the UAP briefing? Was there a written report? Is this available under the FOI Act?

Currently a number of Australian UAP researchers, including myself, are searching for the answers, to these and other questions.

The frustration of UAP research

Frustration

The last few weeks have been a very frustrating time for those researching UAP, if one judges by the tide of emotive content on social media platforms such as Twitter/X; Reddit and Facebook. 

It seems that many people have been following aspects such as the Schumer amendment to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, in minute detail, commenting on every twist and turn that has emerged. Some have been distracted by various comments by "celebrity" researchers, which may or may not be true. Yet other "celebrity" researchers have made categorical statements about other high-profile researchers, which seem to have no basis in fact. Well, you might say it's just your average day on social media. However, all this seems to have converged to a point where even seasoned researchers and experiencers are needing to take a reality check.

A reality check

Perhaps what is needed is to stop incessantly checking your social media feeds and step back. Take a breath and see if what you have been totally absorbed in, translates to those around you, such as your friends and family. Are they concerned that the full Schumer amendment didn't go through? Are comments from "celebrity" researchers causing them lack of sleep at night? I suspect that the answer to questions like these, is no.

The long and the short of it

There's the "short" game and there's the "long" game. After some 57 years of interest in the topic, I'm still in it for the "long" game. I just read a tweet from Lue Elizondo who reminded us that he and his associates have a "plan B" and a "plan C" and so they certainly fit into the "long" game scenario.

So, fellow researchers, have patience. I know there is a lot to ask of you when you want the answers "now." However, I sense that the phenomenon is operating on a much longer timescale, than the one we are used to.

In summary, an old adage goes "Only time will tell." How much time? Unfortunately, we don't know; and that's very frustrating indeed. 

More Australian UAP related documentation digitized

 Barry Greenwood

Over the last six years, Boston based researcher Barry Greenwood and others, have been quietly working away scanning the holdings of the U.S. Center for UFO Studies. Greenwood et al visited the holdings in 2017, 2018, 2019 and more recently in the last twelve months. On each occasion Barry has been on the lookout for Australian material. For example, the 2019 visit resulted in the discovery of some older Australian cases, which I reported on in a blog post, dated 1 August 2021. 

On one of the later visits, Barry located a box in a "paint cupboard." This box was simply labelled "Australia." He shipped this back to his home for later inspection. Barry has recently found the time in his busy schedule, to digitize the contents of the box and has shared these scans with Melbourne based researcher Paul Dean and myself. A total of 16.4GB of material.

Included in the material are newspaper clippings; detailed ACOS investigation reports; items from UFOIC and the AFSRS; letters from individuals detailing their individual sightings; as well as many other items. There are literally hundreds of hours of viewing.

[ACOS - The Australian Co-ordination Section for the Center for UFO Studies. UFOIC - UFO Investigation Centre (Sydney). AFSRS - Australian Flying Saucer Research Society (Adelaide.)]

Thanks go to Barry and the others for their diligent work.

Isaac Koi

U.K. researcher Isaac Koi recently advised that he has uploaded images of 3,500 Australian UAP related news clippings to the website of the Swedish Archives for the Unexplained (AFU). Using AI generated code, Isaac searched the Australian TROVE collection of digitized Australian newspapers for UAP related clippings. This AFU Australian clippings collection may be accessed here. For a fuller description by Isaac of his work on this project click here.

Well done to Isaac for his continuing work on digitizing material and making it freely available. 

Lockheed Martin and BAASS

"Inside the US Government Covert UFO Program: Initial Revelations." 2023. Published by RTMA LLC. Henderson, Nevada; is a recent book by James T. Lacatski; Colm Kelleher and George Knapp. It follows their 2021 book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon." This new book is the second in a projected series of books by the three authors, about the Defense Intelligence Agency's (DIA) Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program (AAWSAP.) The book covers the time period September 2008 through May 2009. The most commented upon section of the second book contains the following: 

Courtesy Amazon Books

Courtesy Amazon Books

"At the conclusion of a 2011 meeting in the capitol building with a U.S. Senator and an agency Under Secretary, Lacatski, the only one of this book's authors present, posed a question.

He stated that the United States was in possession of a craft of unknown origin and had successfully gained access to its interior. This craft had a streamlined configuration suitable for aerodynamic flight but no intakes, exhaust, wings, or control surfaces. In fact, it appeared not to have an engine, fuel tanks or fuel.

Lacatski asked" 'What is the purpose of this craft? Was it a life support craft useful only for atmospheric reentry or what? If it were a spacecraft, then how did it operate?"

Do we have any copies of original BAASS documents from around the year 2011, (apart from a number of the 38 Defense Intelligence Reference Documents dated 2011) which refer to such a "craft?" A very overlooked BAASS document does exist which may cast light on this topic. 

Mark Cecotti

French researcher Marc Cecotti submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, on 8 December 2021. In it he sought:

"...a copy of all records, including but not limited to emails, reports, memorandum, presentations, mentioning : "Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program" or the acronym "AAWSAP," "Bigelow Aerospace Advanced Space Studies" or the acronym "BAASS." Date range for record search from 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2012."

The DHS response was a one-page document with the following text:

"BAASS goals 2011/2012

Area 1:

1. Advanced Technology Analysis Center - analyze recovered AAV technology in collaboration with aerospace companies. Construct extremely secure underground lab facility.

2. Conscious interactions with, and control of, advanced AAV technology.

3. Extend Remote Communications Programs to communicate and retrieve data across dimensional/space-time barrier. Target multiple locations.

4. Identify anomalous activity in select areas of the United States and establish field research laboratories and remote communication programs on site.

Retrieve and integrate all historical data on AAVs from retirees (oral history.)

Area 2:

1. Liaison with IC, FBI, State, Local and tribal Police, FAA, DoD (including AFOSI), National Laboratories and with US Aerospace companies.

2. Collect data, including classified data, from IC/DoD entities, e.g. cockpit flight recordings of AAV performance, communications, medical autopsy reports, weapons use, AAV trajectory records (from NORAD.)

3. Classified data collection from AAV interactions with Nuclear Weapons Storage Facilities - (Northern Tier and other AFB AAV incidents.)

Area 3:

Note: unclassified separate organization.

1. Create an open organization for collection of data on AAV performance.

2. Liaise with civilian groups for AAV data collection."

Department of Homeland Security

In the first book "Skinwalkers at the Pentagon" authors Lacatski et al, state that "On February 7, 2011, Lacatski gave a very in-depth briefing to colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate. At this point in time, the opportunity arose for DHS to receive $10 million in FY13 funding..." for an AASWAP look alike program. Would it be reasonable to conclude that the one-page BAASS document was part of the briefing by Lacatski?

Advanced Technology Analysis Center

Notice from the BAASS document, the words:

"Advanced Technology Analysis Center - analyze recovered AAV technology in collaboration with aerospace companies. Construct extremely secure underground lab facility."

AAV was short for Advanced Aerial Vehicle, an alternative name for UAP.  

David Grusch 

It should also be noted that David Grusch in a recent interview with Joe Rogan , inter alia, of the fact that Senator Harry Reid was looking, under the AAWSAP contract, to have retrieved UAP material transferred from Lockheed Martin to BAASS for BAASS to undertake materials analysis. What material does this refer to? Is it Lacatski's "craft of unknown origin" or something else? Grusch stated:

"...the other government customer which was the Central Intelligence Agency for that specific Lockheed material...from the 50's...bits and pieces of hull structures."

So, not an intact craft but bits and pieces.  

The mystery of the "craft of unknown origin" continues.

The upcoming SOL Foundation Symposium

Academia

We seem to have reached a 'tipping point' as regards the involvement of academia in UAP studies. Over recent years, we have seen an increasing number of academics from various disciplines taking an active interest in the topic, e.g. Jeffrey Kripal (Religious Studies); Kimberley Engels (Philosophy); Kevin Knuth (Physics); Avi Loeb (Physics); Beatriz Villarroel (Astronomy); Garry Nolan (Immunology); and Diana Walsh Pasulka (Religious Studies.) 

Amazon.com.au : pasulka diana

In addition, learned bodies such as the Society for UFO Studies have emerged, as well as Foundations dedicated to researching UAP, e.g. The European Echo Foundation, and now the U.S. based The Sol Foundation. 

What is the SOL Foundation?

From the Foundation's website we learn that:

"The SOL Foundation brings together experts from academia and government to address the philosophical, policy and scientific problems caused by the likely presence on the Earth of UAP."

The Executive Director of the Foundation is Dr. Garry Nolan. 

"Dr. Nolan is the Rachford and Carlota A. Harris Professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine."

The Foundation's Director of Research is Dr. Peter Skafish, who is:

"...a sociocultural anthropologist who has held faculty and research positions in France, Canada, Germany and the United States."

Research

 "Where the science of UAP is concerned, we will support...studies of potential material components of UAP, the possible physics and engineering of their 'propulsion' and energy technology and the biological effects of human exposure to them."

"As for the humanities and social sciences we are seeking researchers in fields such as anthropology, history, philosophy, religious studies and sociology to help us understand the impacts that confirmation of the reality of UAP would have for human society, cosmologies, and political systems the world over."

Symposium

On 17 and 18 November 2023, the Foundation will hold a symposium on the grounds of Stanford University, 35 miles south of San Francisco, California, USA. It is sponsored by the Nolan Laboratory and the Stanford School of Medicine. In person attendance is by invitation only. 

Speakers

 The schedule of speakers, and the titles of their presentations are listed below:

17 November

Avi Loeb. "The New Frontier of Interstellar Objects."

Beatriz Villarroel. "Multiple Transients and the Search for ET Probes."

Kevin Knuth. "The Physics of UAP, with Some Clues about Their Detection, Monitoring and Engineering."

Garry Nolan. "The Material Science of UAP."

Jacques Vallee. "The UFO Phenomenon: A Genuine Scientific Problem."

Diana Walsh Pasulka. "Rewriting the Myth of Prometheus: Innovation Through Off-Planet Research, Data and Environments."

Peter Skafish. "Conceptualizing Nonhuman Intelligence Anthropomorphism and Ontology."

18 November

Timothy Gallaudet. "The U.S. Government's UAP Apathy is Another Case of Massively Misplaced Priorities."

Jairus Victor Grove. "Crowded Skies: Atmospheric and Orbital Threat Reduction in an Age of Uncertainty."

Karl Nell. "The Schumer Amendment and Controlled Disclosure."

Jonathan Berte. "The European Union and Disclosure: Government, Industry and UAP Research."

Christopher Mellon. No title available.

Charles McCullough III. A fireside chat.

Iya Whitley. "Observation in Data: Trusting and Learning from Pilots."

Paul Thigpen. "They Are All God's Children; Insights from Catholic Theology on UAP and Nonhuman Intelligence."

Jeff Kripal. "To Shoot Down Souls: Some Paradoxical Thoughts on the UFO Phenomenon from an Historian of Religions."

In conclusion

As will be seen from the above speakers' schedule, the Symposium promises to be an excellent mix of academics from diverse disciplines. I look forward to the availability of videos of the sessions, in order to digest the impressive range of topics being discussed.

Updated CUFOS website

Center for UFO Studies

The U.S. Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS) was founded by the late Prof. J. Allen Hynek in 1973, making this year, the Center's 50th anniversary. Its purpose is to advocate for serious scientific study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), as well as to act as an archive for material relating to UAP. The Center has just updated its website.

J. Allen Hynek - courtesy CUFOS

Scanned material

Now available are scanned issues of:

* The International UFO Reporter (IUR) - 1976-2012

* The Journal of UFO Studies (JUFOS) - series one 1979-1983 and series two 1989-2006

* CUFOS Associates Newsletter - May 1980-Jun/Jul 1985.

I am particularly delighted to see the scanned issues of both the IUR and JUFOS, as I was an occasional contributor of articles to both of them, over several years.

In addition, there are scanned copies of many of the CUFOS monographs, such as Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos' "Catalogue of 200 type-1 UFO events in Spain and Portugal" and Jennie Zeidman's "A Helicopter-UFO encounter over Ohio."

Also available, are scanned copies of all the publications of the former National Investigation Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) between 1975-1980, including:

* The UFO Investigator

* UFO Quarterly Review

* NICAP Special Bulletins.

These are a much-appreciated collection of documents.

Other features

Other features of the updated website are:

* A comprehensive timeline of cases and events

* An outline, with sample cases of the Hynek classification system

* A detailed description of the 192,000 UFOCAT-2023 case database.

All in all, a very useful compilation of UAP research documentation, as well as other resources not mentioned above. 

ECHO European Congress for UAP Studies and Research

Forthcoming Congress

A further reminder that the study of UAP is a global endeavor, is the forthcoming "ECHO European Congress for UAP Studies and Research" to be held in Paris, France on the 4th and 5th November, 2023.

The ECHO Foundation

The objectives of the Foundation, as set out on their website are:

* Democratization - to contribute to the democratization of the UFO phenomenon through scientific studies and investigative report.

* Documentation - to propose documented news of the UFO phenomenon by centralizing and presenting files from all over the world and making them available on its platform in several languages.

* Communication - to allow more widespread dissemination and communication of the UFO phenomenon.

* New hypotheses - open the door to new paradigms and scientific hypotheses relating to the enigmas of the universe (multiverse/technology).

* Assemble - to bring together experts from all over the world from different backgrounds (science, history, former government and military agents, politicians, etc.) in an international Congress.

* European event - the event, presented as a series of conferences and videoconferences, will highlight recent news about the UFO phenomenon, for example:

"The measures taken by different governments that treat the phenomenon seriously. The latest advances in science which allow us to foresee new hypotheses."

Talks

Speakers at the Congress, and the title of their talks, are:

Chris Mellon - "UAP and the extraterrestrial hypothesis."

Luc Dini - France - President 3AF SIGMA2 - "Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena: references and physical observables."

Fabrice Bonvin - Switzerland - author - "From debunking to disclosure."

Phillipe Guillemant - France - research engineer CNRS- "Hypotheses on UAP technology."

Avi Loeb - "The Galileo Project in search for technological interstellar objects."

Jacques Vallee - "The UFO phenomena, a genuine scientific subject."

Eric Zurcher - Historian - "Close encounters, a form of meta language?"

Dominique Filhol - France - author and film director - 15mm screening of the film "Valensole" and debate with Jacques Vallee and the director.

Guests

Invited guests are:

Michael Vaillant (France) - UAP consultant.

Jack Krine (France) - Former French Air Force pilot.

Christian van Heijst (Netherlands) - Boeing 747 pilot.

Vinnie Adams (UK) - UAP researcher and podcast host.

Nagib Kary (France) - Co-founder Vertical Project Media.